Thursday, May 27, 2010

waterbaby

The classic question is "Beach or Mountains"?

{Waterbaby Kate, Age 6}

My unconventional answer will always be... LAKE!

I adore the lake. Nothing says Summer more to me than a still body of green water, a weathered dock off which to cannonball, the roaring hum of an inboard motor, vinyl smacking hot against your wet bum, and - if there are wee waterbabies about - the constant whine of "but mooooom! I don't wanna wear my life jacket!" {Oh. And, if you're lucky enough to be of age, the knowledge that you can paddle freely, sans mildewy life jacket - with a cold one, if your heart so desires!}

{Cyrpess Gardens Gals from the 50s}

My mom and her sisters grew up on Lake Waco. Those lucky ducks even used to go waterskiing before school... Nothing like being pulled from dam to dock to start your morning off with a jolt, yes?! Those mini Cypress Gardens wooden skis I'm modeling in the photo above are the very same skis my aunts learned on... those suckers have been around for over 50 years, if you can believe it!

{CGGs Take Two}

My grandfather taught around 100 people to ski... and continued to ski himself into his 80s! A locally famous vintage Christmas card photo boasts both my grandparents, my mom, and my three aunts skiing slalom side by side... All Six of the Scruggs' (Jim, Jane, Jan, Joy, Joan, & Jean!) behind one boat (The Blue "J" no doubt!), much like so:

{must remember to digitize that photo - it's a true classic!}

Having never taken to the slalom, I still rock the tandem skis every now and again... although lately, just letting the sun kiss my face and the wind wildly tangle my hair as the Mastercraft makes wake across the glassy water is heaven enough for me! Which is why I am thrilled to be headin' to this lovely lady's lake house this weekend for the Big Memorial Day Weekend:

I've spent many summer days and vacay weekends lakein' it with the Js... the last one being JJO's bachelorette weekend...

... and this one being the very first including the Evster! Looking forward to lots of sunscreen, Corona Light and lime, and lazy floating... or maybe we'll get ambitious and spend the weekend like so:

I am right there with ya! I would take a day at the lake over a day at the each any time. You can lay on a dock (no sand!) and water skiing is far superior to a boogie board. Have fun this weekend. You have made me officially jealous!

I'm going to the beach, but like yourself, I am such a lake rat. It's nice because thanks to TVA bringing electricity to Appalachia through the dams, we are surrounded by ginormous lakes. Also, we live on the Tennessee River. We didn't ski before school, but there was a lot of skipping school to ride jet skis, where invariably one of the older boys would throw you in the water. You'd swim to shore, and return to your fourth period class dripping wet.

I love that combination smell of mildew and oil from the engine that is so quintessentially the lake to me. I haven't skied since I broke my elbow five years ago, but I decided earlier this spring that I'm skiing again! My brother and I's boat has just be de-winterized and is ready to go (just like me, post spray-tan)!

Perhaps my favorite lake memory is one of Waterbaby (age ~ 2.5 yrs), teeth chatter audible from a distance of 30 feet, while talking her out of upper 50 degree water after 20+ minutes in Lake Tahoe. You were tanned from Texas sunshine but it did not show through your cold blue skin until hours later. Gotta love her, she's the baby!